§ Mr. GibbTo ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to his answer of 12 March 2002,Official Report, column 859–60 ref 39869, how many cases of benefit fraud and claimant error there were in each of the relevant benefits in each year since 1995; [43819]
(2) what his estimate is of the number of cases of (a) fraud, (b) customer error and (c) official error in respect of (i) income support and (ii) jobseeker's allowance for 1999–2000 and 2000–01. [44960]
§ Malcolm WicksIt is not possible to provide a breakdown of how many cases of benefit fraud and claimant error there were in each of the relevant benefits in each year since 1995. However, since 1999, fraud investigators have recorded the number of cases where benefit ceases, or a change in benefit occurs, following an investigation. These figures include both fraud and customer error cases (as well as a very small number of cases where an underpayment is discovered) but it is not possible to provide a breakdown. The figures, which cover investigations across all benefits administered by the Department, are in the table.
Number of cases where benefit rate changes following action by a fraud investigator Number 1999–2000 198,467 2000–01 182,569 Comparable figures are not available before 1999.
Separately, by means of the continuous Area Benefit Review/Quality Support Team exercise, the Department is able to provide estimates of the total number of cases of fraud, customer error and official error at any one time in Income Support and Jobseeker's Allowance. Figures are given in the table below. There is a degree of overlap inherent in the sampling process between the estimates of numbers of customer error and official error in these figures, caused in part by the measurement methodology. These figures therefore cannot be added together, as the resulting figure would include double counting. This 89W overlap had no impact on the final published results for the estimated overall value of monetary loss as analysts made compensatory adjustments, reducing the figures by around 1 per cent. of expenditure.
Estimate of number of cases offraud and error and average weekly incorrectness in Income Support and Jobseeker's Allowance 1999–2000 Data Fraud Average value of incorrectness per week £ Customer error Average value of incorrectness per week £ Official error Average value of incorrectness per week £ Income Support 216,000 51 301,000 13 493,000 18 Jobseeker's Allowance 120,000 44 32,000 17 125,000 27 2000–2001 Data Income Support 204,000 55 296,000 14 476,000 17 Jobseeker's Allowance 86,000 47 20,000 15 86,000 25 Notes:
1. The average values represent the average weekly value of fraud or error (overpayment and underpayment) for cases where there is fraud or error (not average error per case on the live load).
2. Figures are presented as weekly values of incorrectness because the total value of an error over all the weeks it lasted is not available.
3. The figures are estimates based on samples, and as such are subject to sampling error; none of the changes between 1999–2000 and 2000–01 are statistically significant.
4. The figures for fraud, customer error and official error cannot be added together. They apply to different groups of cases, and in the case of official error, there is overlap with customer error in the definition of error.
Source:
Area Benefit Review/Quality Support Team.
§ Mr. SheermanTo ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how much the Government have spent on advertising(a) the Targeting Fraud Hotline and (b) other campaigns to report benefit fraud in each of the last 10 years. [53749]
§ Malcolm WicksThere is no Targeting Fraud Hotline. The information available on the amount spent on advertising the National Benefit Fraud Hotline is in the table.
£ Amount 1996–97 476,000 1997–98 225,000 1998–99 290,247 1999–2000 337,672 2000–01 425,178 2001–02 0 2002–03 0 to date The Targeting Fraud campaign is part of our long-term strategy to reinforce our message that benefit fraud is wrong, unfair and will not be tolerated. Expenditure on the pilot phase of the campaign was £2.2 million spanning
90W
Telephone helplines Target Percentage calls Seconds Performance Percentage Jobcentre Plus Chief Executive's helpline (formerly BA and ES CE helplines) 100 20 100 Job Seeker Direct (formerly ES Direct) 95 20 86.7 CSA National Enquiry Line and Client Helplines 85 1— 92.4 20 2— 10 National Benefit Fraud Hotline 99 3— 96 Disability Living Allowance Customer Care helpline 90 30 18 Retirement Pensions Teleclaim Line 90 30 57 The average levels of monetary loss in cases of customer and official error are lower than those in fraud cases, as shown in the table.
the financial years 1999–2000 and 2000–01. The success of the pilot campaign led to the launch of the national Targeting Fraud campaign. The initial spell of advertising in March 2001 cost £4.6 million and £8.9 million was spent on the campaign running from September 2001 to March 2002.
Information is not available on the amount spent on other advertising campaigns prior to 1997.